


illuminating moments

by wildflowersinthemeadow



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 13:03:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9658550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildflowersinthemeadow/pseuds/wildflowersinthemeadow
Summary: Set after the events of Episode 2.10 so I suggest you watch it first.After being rescued in Korea, Steve returns home.





	

It was the moment when he was finally securely strapped to his seat and the engine of the plane roared up that Steve relaxed into his seat, closed his eyes and breathed out. Suddenly he felt safe. It was finally over. Off home.

He opened his eyes and looked at the face of his beloved sitting next to him. Chin smiled at him and kissed his sweaty forehead.

″Chin, don't, I'm so dirty,″ Steve said softly and smiled an awkward smile.  
″So am I,″ Chin answered.

It didn't matter. If he had it his way, he would cover Steve with kisses right now. But, for the moment being, a kiss on the forehead would suffice.

Steve was still very, very sore. Chin could see it in the pained look on his face. ″Wait a moment, I'll get you some painkillers,″ he said, hushed, and left Steve's side for a moment. Steve just nodded wearily.

He looked around, happy to see familiar faces. It made the pain almost bearable.

Painkillers were handed to him, along with a glass of water and Steve just swallowed them. He closed his eyes again. Chin put on his seatbelt next to him and one instant later, Steve felt a warm hand on his. He smiled.

When the plane finally took off, Steve grimaced in pain. He opened his eyes and looked at Chin. ″Babe, please, tell me something.″ _Until the painkillers kick in._ ″Something that can distract me from this.″

Chin just nodded, thinking for a moment. Then, in a low, gentle voice he began telling stories. Stories from his childhood, legends he had heard about Korean folklore. Tales of dragons and colors, the creation of the world, the fire and water. Chin's soft voice was so soothing and the painkillers were strong. Soon, Steve found himself relaxing. The tiredness took its toll. Gradually, he drifted off into a blissful sleep.

When he woke again, it was silent around him. He heard a couple of voices whispering, but most passengers were sleeping. Including the man in the seat next to him. Steve's hand was still covered with Chin's. Steve looked down on both their hands, then back at Chin's relaxed face. Sun beams broke through the windows, bathing the insides of the plane in twilight and Chin looked so beautiful in the soft light. The plane vibrated with the humming of the engines, instantly calming him down. He felt better and the pain had definitely subsided. Steve shifted and with it, woke Chin. The other man stretched and smiled at him.

″I'm sorry I woke you, babe,″ Steve whispered to Chin.

″It's okay,″ Chin yawned. ″I don't need the sleep anyway. But you do.″

″Well, I do feel rested.″ And he did. His body felt stronger. There was only a slight dizziness from the painkillers.

″That's good,″ Chin smiled again.

″Do you know what time it is?″ Steve asked.

Chin threw a glance at his watch and told him.

″How long have we been flying?″

″Let me see,″ Chin counted the time in his head. ″We should land in an hour or so.″

″Good,″ Steve smiled and relaxed back into his seat again.

″Do you want something to eat?″ Chin asked him.

Steve swallowed. ″Not really. But I could really use a glass of water.″ His throat felt so dry, it almost hurt.

″Coming right up!″ Chin unbuckled his seatbelt and made his way to the front part of the plane.

\---

Steve had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. After he was thoroughly checked through and through, the doctors did not find anything critical, but he had some inner injuries and serious bruises on his skin, so they kept him there just for supervision.

He was allowed to have visitors so most of the time, there was a pleasant buzz in his room. Danny visited, Kono, Kamekona, Joe stopped by, too. Gracie was really worried about him but he and Danny could calm her down that no, Uncle Steve was not seriously injured, he just had to stay for a couple of days because the doctors just wanted to be sure. Gracie gave him a little stuffed dog, so that Uncle Steve would feel better soon. It sat on his bedside table.

His favorite part of the day were the afternoons, when everybody left and all was calm and only Chin was there. Chin hardly left his side, only now and then to look if everything was alright back home or check things back at the office.

The rest of the time he just spent in comfortable silence with Steve. The tv would run and they would watch some silly tv shows or talk shows and laugh at the things that were happening there. Or have quiet conversations, exchanging little sentences about whatever went through their mind. Or Chin would let Steve sleep - he was still weak from the torture - while he read something. In the evening, they would play chess. On day 2, by Steve's request, Chin swung by the McGarrett house and fetched Steve's beloved guitar. Steve would play a light tune and Chin would close his eyes and listen.

On his third day at the hospital, Steve woke unusally early. He knew that because he looked at his watch and it said 6:45. The sun was just rising and the first rays of dawn grazed the walls of the room. Chin was sleeping in an arm chair nearby and the warm light of the new day softly caressed his face. Steve's heart clenched. The man he loved looked so beautiful in the soft, warm light, but also incredibly tired, even in his sleep.

″Chin,″ Steve whispered.

Chin was instantly awake, his eyelids slowly fluttering open. ″Steve,″ his face lit up in a smile.

″Baby, come here,″ Steve said gently.

Chin came over to his bed and sat down by his side.

Steve looked at him full of love, his hand caressed Chin's cheek, then gently slid down his arm, lingering there.

″Chin, you are exhausted. You need some sleep. And I mean real sleep, not just napping in an uncomfortable hospital chair.″

Chin wanted to protest but he was too weak for it. In the end, he just gave in, nodding.

Steve smiled lovingly. ″Go home, love, get some proper rest.″

Chin leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, then tenderly on the lips.  
″I'll be back in a couple of hours,″ he promised.

″I'll wait here.″

They both had to laugh at that before Chin gave him one more kiss and set off.

\---

On day 5 at the hospital, the doctors finally greenlit Steve's discharge. His wounds were beginning to heal and there was no reason he should stay any longer. The condition was that he should take it slow for at least another week, no sports, no hard physical work. Steve loved his workout and Chin knew that it wouldn't be easy for him to go without. But, the priority was for his body to heal.

″Can I at least go swimming?″ Steve asked the doctor in an almost whiney tone.

″Only slow movements in shallow water, Mr. McGarrett,″ the woman smiled. ″And absolutely no surfing.″

Steve gave her a halfhearted smile and nodded.

Chin made it his mission to be there for his boyfriend and to distract him from even thinking about sports.

They headed straight home - Chin drove - but Steve wouldn't be Steve if he didn't at least stop by the office to check on things.

Everybody greeted him cheerfully, some jokes were made and then Steve disappeared into his office. He scanned a few reports, made one or two calls, answered e-mails. Chin hung out with the rest of the team in the meantime.

Not even an hour passed and they were already on the way back home. It was a Friday anyway, there was not much left to do in the office and even the criminals seemed to be too lazy to do anything fishy. Everyone was looking forward to the weekend.

After a light lunch - fried fish and salad with huge glasses of iced tea - Steve changed into his trunks and went out for a swim. Chin sprawled on the bed, reading and listening to the radio quietly chatting in the background.

The orange afternoon sun was crawling through the bedroom, casting long shadows. The terrace door opened and Steve came in, wet from head to toe, the salty water dripping on the floor. Chin put his book aside, tilted his head, closed his eye and looked at the vision against the sunlight.

″Well, how was it?″

″Great!″ Steve grinned. Then he simply strolled over to the bed and bent down to kiss Chin. The salty water was dripping everywhere, including Chin's body. The kiss was cold and salty, too, and there was the intense scent of sea water in the room.

Chin cringed his nose and giggled. ″You're covering me with the salty water. It's like everywhere.″

Steve smiled a bright smile. ″Sorry, babe. I'll take a shower.″

When he emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, he was quite a vision, too. Steve wore only a towel around his hips and his torso was illuminated by the warm afternoon sun, highlighting every muscle. Chin simply moved aside to make place for his lover.

Steve lay on his back - the towel still around his hips - placed one hand under his head and looked at Chin who was sitting next to him, slightly towering over him. Chin bent down and gave him a long, lingering kiss.

Steve closed his eyes. Slowly, he began relaxing into the touch.

Chin's lips slid down his jawline, to his collarbone, his hand sliding down Steve's torso. Chin kissed Steve's chest, his abs, then looked up at Steve and bent down again. His lips grazed a bruise at Steve's ribs, then one on his side and one on his stomach. Steve just watched him, amazed.

Chin winked at him and said in an intimate voice: ″Now they're gonna heal much faster.″

Steve just lovingly smiled at him. ″Come here,″ he pulled the man into an embrace and they began kissing again. ″God, I missed that so much. Your scent. Your touch. Kissing you.″

Careful not to hurt him, Chin lay down by his side and for a moment, they basked in each other's closeness. Slowly, tentatively, Chin's fingers began to ghost over Steve's skin again and after many tender touches, they boldly dove under the towel. Steve sighed longingly.

The radio was playing a light tune. Outside, the waves crashed against the shore, somewhere in the distance, people were laughing and music was playing. In the bedroom, the glowing afternoon sun illuminated two lovers on the bed, discovering each other's bodies again. The room was filled with yearning moans and whispered words.

Steve was home again. He was where he belonged. With the help of Chin's love, patience and tenderness, the wounds would heal again.


End file.
